07 - When All I Knew Was Steeped in Blackened Holes

The Concept:  Feature a song a day for every day of the most magnificent season of Autumn.  The songs are ones that capture the thoughts/ideas/images/feelings of the season for me. 

It's my "Autumnal Playlist" if you will.

Every so often I come across a song that just completely lifts my soul.  Today's song is the most recent.  It has a quite humble beginning, but works into a soaring ballad of triumph.  At least that is where it takes me.

This song makes me want to fly.

Song 07/Day 07

Today's Song:  "Below My Feet," from Mumford & Sons sophomore offering, Babel.

I don't think there is a song on the album that I don't like.  But on my first listen through of the whole thing, this song struck me.  And it has stuck.  Every time it comes up I just get this contented sigh, and feel that it's time to knuckle down and push on.

I can't say what the song is really about.  It's one of those songs that seem to have different meanings for each listener.  For me it somehow makes me think of the Prodigal Son.  And that story always makes me think of Autumn.  I cannot explain that one.

Just the thought of that son, out in the world realizing he made mistakes.  Then returning home.  The build up in the music is his heart pounding as he approaches his father's house.  The big swell on the final chorus is the father appearing and running to his son.

This story became very important to me about eight years ago.  It became personal in where I was in life.  I felt like the lost son, because frankly I was.  And it was my choices that took me there.  But I knew that God was there, waiting for me to get out of the pig pen and return to him.

The funny thing is about the time I was experiencing this, I also was watching a little show that had just started called, Lost.  Imagine that.  It wasn't until that series ended that I had a profound life revelation.  But that's a blog from a different day.

So the Prodigal Son makes me think of Autumn.  The time in my life I associate with that story, was in Autumn (as TV shows start in the Fall,) and now this song which deals with the "speaker" being lost.

But the part I love most about this song is the hopeful upswing of the chorus

Keep the earth below my feet
For all my sweat, my blood runs weak
Let me learn from where I have been
Well keep my eyes to serve, my hands to learn
Keep my eyes to serve, my hands to learn

Keeping the earth below his feet could take on a few meanings.  For me the two that stand out the most is that he wants to stay grounded in reality, or he wants to keep living.  Or a combination of both.  He wants to learn from where he's been, learn from mistakes/choices.  And offers his eyes to serve and hand to learn.  Eyes serve by keeping watch.  Looking out for something.  Hand learn, by doing.

That's where I take it anyway.  Rather, where it takes me.

On a completely different level, I could see this song used as a music video for a deep/thoughtful Superman story.  Perhaps "Man of Steel" will deliver that story next year.  That moment in the song that swells into the chorus seems so fitting for Clark taking off or embracing what he can do.

So take a swing by Mumford & Sons on iTunes to check out Below My Feet (and the rest of the album!)

-Jesse